Atlas and Kato engines

In the world of N scale engines, atlas and kato ( pronounced k"ah" toe) have been somewhat synonomous. However, there came a time at some point, that atlas/ kato engines from Japan became Atlas/ China made engines...

Now, I have not actually  had bad experience with any atlas China made engines  just yet, but I believe that experience has more to do with my absence from the hobby for about ten straight years. With the current layout mothballed with moving boxes stacked all around it, I was unable to stay current in the operational/transition of the atlas China connection.

My background with imports from China and the high level of QC ( quality control ) that was needed to insure satisfaction levels , leads me to believe that some models have to be suspect at times within thus said transition. Of course, without direct experience it is based on assumption and speculation. I just cannot see the same Japanese precision going into the Chinese ones from a manufacturing standpoint.

I will say this, I own both and am currently starting to run all my shelf queens and work them into my layout fleet...

Here is a quick video on the newest ATLAS VO 1000 moving around... 

SLOW< SLOWER< SLOWEST... ATLAS VO MOVES THE ORE